The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Kaduna

  • Enyimba vow to crush Kaduna Utd

    Enyimba vow to crush Kaduna Utd

    Enyimba striker Bishop Onyeudo is confident his team would not have any problem seeing off Kaduna United when they meet in the premier league in Aba today.

    The Peoples Elephant have amassed an impressive 12 points from a possible 18 since the start of the second round of the league, and Onyeudo feels they have hit top form and are virtually unstoppable.

    He, therefore ,reasons that Kaduna United, who have an awful away record, would be on the receiving end at the Enyimba International Stadium.

    “There are no easy games anymore at this stage in the premiership, but I’m confident we will beat Kaduna United,” he told supersport.com.

    “We have hit top form and we have been very difficult to beat even in away matches. The team is quite balanced and is not lacking in any department.

    “We were unlucky not to have beaten Warri Wolves in Warri recently, and they are one of the highly rated sides in the premier league.

    “Kaduna United are yet to pick up points on the road, and that will not change when they visit us.

    “It is a match we should win because we are unstoppable at the moment.”

    Onyeudo added: “We are just three points behind the leaders and we will continue to apply the pressure until we catch up with them.

    “We have a chance to win the league, so we are taken every match seriously.

    “I have no doubt in my mind that we will beat Kaduna United decisively.”

    Onyeudo has scored three goals in five games since joining Enyimba from Gombe United during the midseason break.

    He has scored 11 goals overall, having scored eight for the Savannah Scorpions.

    Enyimba are sixth in the premier league with 39 points, while Kaduna United are in 10th position with 35 points after 25 rounds of matches.

  • Kaduna shuts 457 ‘illegal’ private schools

    •185 others to follow

    The Kaduna State Government yesterday closed 457 “illegal” private schools across the state.

    It, however, gave them a month to regularise their registration with the government.

    The Commissioner for Education, Mallam Mohammed Usman, told reporters that some of the schools were operating illegally without proper registration while others were operating below approved standard and outside approved curriculum.

    The commissioner said some of the affected schools were operating in shops, half plots of land and in parks.

    The affected schools included secondary, nursery and primary schools.

    Usman said another set of 185 schools would also be closed in the second phase of the exercise.

    The commissioner explained that the records of the schools were being examined to ensure that justice is done to all.

    He also said 331 illegal schools were closed in Kaduna zone; 81 in Zaria and 43 in Kafanchan.

    Usman regretted that some of the affected schools had been operating for about 10 years without attempting to register with the government.

    The commissioner said the government would not tolerate illegal schools, adding that it would punish operators of such schools.

     

     

     

     

  • Southern Kaduna renews agitation for state creation

    Southern Kaduna renews agitation for state creation

    Correspondent TONY AKOWE writes on the persistent clamour for the creation of state by the people of Southern Kaduna to preserve their identity.

    The agitation for the creation of a state by the people of Southern Kaduna started in the 1950s. Its leaders supported the agitation for the creation of a Middle Belt Region. The area was called Southern Zaria. It was part of the old Zaria Province.

    In 1975, the Southern Kaduna leaders made a formal request to the Justice Ayo Irikefe Panel for the creation of a seperate state. The request was repeated in 1987 and in 1996. The panels set up by the federal government recommended that a state should be created for them. But the military government did not implement the recommendation. Therefore, they lost out. The people alleged injustice, pointing out that their request failed, despite their marginalisation in Kaduna State.

    In this dispensation, the agitators have turned to the National Assembly for help. However, the announcement by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, that none of the proposed states met the criteria jolted the agitators of new states. Among those who felt that Ekweremadu, who is the Deputy Senate President, was being economical with the truth was the President of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), Dr Epharim Goje, who is clamouring for the creation of Gurara State from the Kaduna State.

    Goje accused the Senate Committee of jumping into the conclusion, without giving the agitators the opportunity to work to meet the criteria. He said that, al hough state agitators were asked to update documents submitted to the committee, the Senate created the impression that those agitating for states did not meet the requirements.

    “What I expect the Senate to do is to say that, if there are certain things missing, update them in view of the realities on ground.We know that the process is cumbersome, but that is why the senate committee is there in the first place. They are supposed to propose amendments that will make state creation easier. It was because we knew that the process is cumbersome that we held those sessions to ensure that, when people who genuinely need a state make the demand, they get it. The Houses of Assembly, the House of Representatives and the Senate are the organs we need to create states. Once the two-thirds of those Houses say yes, this is what we want, why should we be denied?”

    However, those who signed the request for the creation of Gurara State out of Kaduna State were not the the right people. The wrong signatorie, who signed the document as lawmakers representing the area, are no longer in office. For example, out of the seven members from the area in the National Assembly who signed the document, only Yakubu Umar Barde and Godfrey Ali Gaiya are still serving as federal legislators. Also, many of the local government chairmen and councillors who signed the document have left office.

    The agitators were given a second chance by the Senate to amend their presentation. The senator representing the Kaduna South District, Senator Nenadi Esther Usman, quickly returned home to ensure that they did not missed the opportunity. She gathered the Southern Kaduna elders and opinion leaders to inform them that a new window of opportunity had opened for them and that the Senate Committee on State Creation may reconsider its earlier stand by giving the agitators the opportunity to correct the anomaly in their requests and represent same to the committee.

    Usman told them that the amended request will be treated by the committee on a first come, first serve basis. She said that, in accordance with section 8(1) of the constitution, only serving lawmakers at the state and National Assembly and local government chairmen and councillors should sign the request to make it valid.

    According to her, of all the requests presented to the Committee, only 17 partially complied with the law and they were processed by the committee, pointing out that none of the 17 complied with the provisions of section 8(1) of the constitution. therefore were rejected. Usman said: “At our last meeting, those of us who are from areas requesting for states made a case to the committee. We told the committee that, as the representatives of the people, we should be able to make provisions for state creation and that we should be given the chance to correct the errors in the requests.

    “Those who are not requesting for states agreed with us and, at the end, the chairman of the committee agreed that those requesting for states be given a second chance to correct their mistakes and submit, but warned that it will be treated on first come, first serve basis. If you look at our presentation, you discover that many of those who signed the document we presented are not even necessary.

    “What the constitution requires is that only elected representatives of the people, who are members of the National Assembly, State Assembly, elected local government chairmen and their councillors should sign the document. In the past, I have been accused of going into other areas and those people who made that allegation are still around. That is why I have restricted myself to my zone only before people go round to say I want to contest for the office of the governor. It is my aspiration to see that we have a state of our own and with your support, we will actualise this dream. We will not abandon it now”, she said.

    The Southern Kaduna people believe that they have all it takes to have a state of their own. Their best chance came during the Abacha regime, but lack of unity of purpose by the agitators robbed them of a state. There were more than one request for a Southern Kaduna State. The groups requested for different places as capital. While the majority wanted Kaduna as the capital, other groups wanted Kafanchan and Zonkwa as capital.

    They lost the opportunity as Abacha turned his back on them although the list of states that were created came out from the office of the Principal Staff Officer to Abacha, who happened to be a high ranking officer from the area. However, the people seem to have resolved the issue of state capital in favour of Kafanchan, which appears to be central to all the local government areas constituting the proposed Gurara State.

    Goje, reiterated that the people have all it takes to have a state of their own. He said: “We have the capital, the human resources, the land and every other thing that it takes. Our state has a lot of potential and we are capable. If they give us Gurara State, I am saying that we don’t need the federal allocation. We can survive without oil money in Southern Kaduna under the new Gurara State. If we are given a state, we couldn’t be worse than states created by the military.

    “All we need is to harness our potential. If we are given Gurara State, it will be one of the model states in this country. We have the capability and we are saying give us this state and see what we can make out of it. We are also saying that it is one of the ways you can bring about peace in Kaduna State”, he said.

    However, the agitators face opposition from the northern part of the Kaduna metropolis, especially Kaduna North, Kaduna South and Lere local government, which is located in the Northern Senatorial Zone.

    Goje is not disturbed by this because, according to him, “my colleagues from the northern part are also asking for their own state and we have a very good understanding between ourselves. The only gray area is how to handle Kaduna metropolis, which we will do through a round table negotiation and for the border communities. We will do a referendum for them to decide where they want to go. As far as we are concerned, we have an agreement with our brothers in the northern part of the state. We are prepared and working towards it to ensure that Kaduna State is divided into two.

    “My two senators – Makarfi and Nenadi Usman- are really working hard to make sure that they mobilise us to meet up with the requirement and whatever it takes for us to have a state and I am sure that the senator from zone two, even though he comes from a different political party, I am sure he shares the same dream”.

    The consciousness about the bebefits of an additional state is growing. A committee of elders set up by the state government, immediately after the sharia crisis in 2000, recommended the splitting of the state into two. The committee report, which was accepted by a government white paper said: “We hereby solemnly, unanimously and unequivocally resolve that, in the supreme interest of peace, security, development and welfare of our people, the present Kaduna State should be divided into two. We declare that this decision is not based on any ill-motives or ill-feelings or desire to hurt anybody or any group whatsoever.

    “We declare that in the new state, by the grace of God, we shall ensure justice, fair play and equity to all people regardless of their ethnic or religious affiliations. We declare that there shall be no interference with the rights of the people on their religious beliefs and traditions; and we declare that in the pursuit of the above declarations; we have taken cognisance of the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution”.

    The Kaduna State House of Assembly also passed a resolution sponsored by 11 members of the House on October 17, 2002 supporting the splitting of the state into two, in accordance with a position prepared by the delegates to the National Constitutional Conference.

    Senator Usman, who is a member of the Senate Committee on Constitution review, has motivated the Southern Kaduna agitators to repackage their request. They have got 100 per cent support from the elected representatives of the various local government areas that are supposed to constitute theproposed state and submitted the document to the National Assembly for consideration. The document, it was gathered, will be presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which is expected to conduct a referendum on the request, following its approval by the Senate.

     

  • Heartland to bounce back against Kaduna United

    Heartland to bounce back against Kaduna United

    Ousted Federation Cup champions, Heartland will return to their quest for league triumph as they take on Kaduna United today. The Nazi Millionaires who were edged out on 5-4 penalty by Akwa United, displayed good sportsmanship immediately after the FA tie when congratulated the ambitious national league side for their victory. The Owerri landlords did not hesitate after the final whistle to post submissions on the match on twitter

    “And we are out of this year’s Nigerian Federation Cup after having lost 5-4 to Akwa United on penalties. Congrats to Akwa United,” they submitted.

    The team had to stay back to face Kaduna United in one of the week 23 league ties.

    Although Heartland won the reverse fixture 4-1 in Week 3, Kaduna United have been impressive at home this season and will be looking forward to another home victory an indication that Heartland will have to fight hard to earn the needed point.

     

  • Kaduna deputy governor searches for un-immunised kids

    Kaduna deputy governor searches for un-immunised kids

    We walked through the woods, made his way across farmlands and marched in muddy terrains just to find two children who missed out in the last immunisation exercise held in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

    Such was the importance of the health plan that Deputy Governor Nuhu Audu Bajoga who chairs the state Task Force on Polio Eradication and Strengthening Routine Immunisation, did not want to take chances.

    He launched out on the search like the biblical shepherd who went after one missing sheep, leaving the 99 others behind.

    Ambassador Bajoga left the comfort of his office in Kaduna, the state capital, to locate and immunise two children who failed to be innoculated in the last exercise in Ungwan Aya and Madauchi villages, neither could their whereabouts be ascertained.

    The report of the missing kids gave the state government cause for concern.

    Determined to find and immunise them as part of government’s efforts to rid the state of child killer disease, Bajoga took a trip to the two villages, accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, chairman of Zangon Kataf council and polio officials.

    The two villages located almost 200km away from Kaduna metropolis city are mainly farming communities. As he went through the settlements, he preached the message of immunisation.

    He told the people of Madauchi to be patient and respond to the immunisation call for the total eradication of the virus. He appealed to the people to accept the programme, and not feel that government is disturbing them.

    “Do not think that government is unnecessarily disturbing you with regular rounds of polio vaccine,” he told them.

    “It’s important we vaccinate children so as to wipe out polio in the world. So be patient and comply at all times for the good of our children and our society.”

    Aside the efforts to locate the missing children, the deputy governor personally supervised the immunisation of some Fulani children at Ungwan Aya and assessed their response to the exercise. He was not disappointed with what he saw.

    But he insisted, though, that parents must heed the call for children to be allowed to partake in the routine immunisation exercise for posterity. His charge was not unconnected with the fact that the Fulani are always on the move in search of pasture for their cattle. As they move their cattle, they also move with their entire families. That is how some children miss out on the polio immunisation exercise.

    Bajoga walked the distance between the two villages to ensure that the right thing was done and the children found and immunised. He said that the idea behind his visit was to determine whether the two children in the communities who ‘missed out’ during the earlier immunisation exercise had been recovered and rightly immunized to forestall any emergence of the dreaded polio virus in not only the local government but the entire state. So, he walked through the farm and on the muddy road to the villages and was told that the children had been found and immunised.

    He later told the paramount ruler of the Bajju people, Mallam Nuhu Bature: “We are here today because there was a case of two missing children during the last routine polio vaccination exercise. As the committee saddled with the responsibility of ensuring total eradication of polio in the state, we have decided to come back to ensure these two children are located and properly vaccinated alongside others” he told the Agwam Bajju”. He lamented that “it was only Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan in the whole world that still parade the white-polio virus. Government has spent money on the issue of polio eradication and so we must always go round to insist that the routine polio exercise is complete.”

    The Agwam Bajju, Mallam Nuhu Bature told the Deputy Governor of his chiefdom’s readiness to partner with the state government to rid the state of polio. The paramount ruler was particularly happy that the deputy governor took it upon himself to personally do an on the spot assessment to determine the success of the programme. He said “I want to sincerely thank the state government for engaging in this inspection exercise to free our community and the state of this polio virus. I want to assure the government of our chiefdom’s support to rid the state of polio”.

    Chairman of Zangon Kataf local government Christopher Haruna however told News Extra that efforts to totally eradicate the dreaded polio disease in the local government and the state was yielding fruit.

     

  • World Population Day: Preventing Teenage Maternal Mortality

    World Population Day: Preventing Teenage Maternal Mortality

    Abiodun Alade writes that as the world commemorates the World Population Day, awareness on the issue of adolescent pregnancy and creating a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled, has been put in front burner.

    “When we devote attention and resources to the education, health and wellbeing of adolescent girls, they will become an even greater force for positive change in society that will have an impact for generations to come. On this World Population Day, let us pledge to support adolescent girls to realize their potential and contribute to our shared future,” the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki Moon said in his goodwill message on this year’s world population day.

    The United Nations’ (UN) World Population Day is annually observed on July 11 to reaffirm the human right to plan for a family. It encourages activities, events and information to help make this right a reality throughout the world.

    As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to celebrate the day, the chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Chief Festus Odimegwu said the current teenage maternal mortality rate is put at 0.822 per 1,000 women. Odimegwu said this at a briefing to mark the 2013 World Population Day in Abuja.

    According to him, the figure remains high particularly in the northern parts of Nigeria, adding that, “Kastina state has the highest number of teenage pregnancy according to the 2008 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS).  Katsina, with 65 per cent of cases of teenage pregnancy tops the table; Edo State has the lowest rate of teenage pregnancy, which the report puts at 2.9 per cent.”

    Indeed, between last year and now there has been rising cases of teenage maternal mortality worldwide. In Nigeria, adolescent fertility rate stands at 121 live births per 1, 000, according to Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS).

    The figure is high when compared to statistics from other African countries such as Algeria with seven live births per 1,000; South Africa with 58 per 1,000 and Ghana with 63 per 1,000.

    But what are the major causes of this high mortality rate particularly in Nigeria? Odimegwu believes that the maternal mortality rate is aided by unsafe abortions, pregnancy complications, poor ante natal care and weak pelvic bones, while major consequences for the teenage mother include curtailment of educational attainment and likely unstable marital life.

    Other causes he outlined are poverty, sexual abuse, ignorance, cultural and religious beliefs. He appealed for concerted efforts among all stakeholders to curb the rising trend and pledged the commitment of the NPC to effectively implement the national population policy.

    The various interventions of the federal government in the health and education sectors, he added, would not only help reduce the scourge but also mitigate the negative impact on the girl child.

    On his part, the Deputy Country Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr. Osaretin Adorin, in a goodwill message, said issues of teenage pregnancy should not only be considered a health issue, but that of human rights.

    “Their bodies are not even matured enough, so both the mother and child suffer. It is sometimes a case of a baby becoming a mother,” he added just as he called for the enactment and implementation of policies that protect the girl child.

    Corroborating this view, the president of Esther Child Right Foundation, Mrs. Esther Ogwu said that poverty, lack of parental care and single parenting are parts of the causes of teenage pregnancy.

    “Poverty is an issue, especially when the parents cannot and are not providing for the children. However money is not just the reason but parental care and communication; some parents find it difficult to discuss with their wards. Their children can hardly ask them questions, so they end up not knowing what those teenagers are passing through. Most schools are not also training them well; some schools don’t teach sex education, leaving the pupils and students to wrong information. The issue of single parenting also brings about negligence in some families.”

    Ogwu pointed out that most victims of teenage pregnancy end up dropping out from schools and sometimes find it difficult to fulfill their potentials in life. “Some of them drop out from schools; they also find it difficult to forgive themselves especially when they see their peers doing well in the society. They also end up as unprepared mothers,” she added.

    The President of Compassionate Women Initiative, Mrs. Mary Olasupo, noted that the consequences of teenage pregnancy includes; public embarrassment, education setback, untimely death, early marriage, emotional trauma. She also called on the various stakeholders in the society to provide an enabling environment for the upbringing of the girl child.

    World Population Day aims to increase people’s awareness on various population issues such as the importance of family planning, including gender equality, poverty, maternal health and human rights.

    The day is celebrated worldwide by business groups, community organizations and individuals in many ways. Activities include seminar discussions, educational information sessions and essay competitions. In 1968 world leaders proclaimed that individuals had a basic human right to determine freely and responsibly the number and timing of their children.

    About 40 years later modern contraception remains out of reach for millions of women, men and young people. World Population Day was instituted in 1989 as an outgrowth of the Day of Five Billion, marked on July 11, 1987. The UN authorized the event as a vehicle to build an awareness of population issues and the impact they have on development and the environment.

    In 1989, in its decision 89/46, the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme recommended that, in order to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues in the context of overall development plans and programmes and the need to find solutions for these issues, 11 July should be observed by the international community as World Population Day.

    Since then, with the United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) encouragement, governments, non – governmental organizations, institutions and individuals organize various educational activities to celebrate the annual event.

    As the world population edged to 7 billion people in 2011 (up from 2.5 billion in 1950), it has had profound implications for development. A world of 7 billion is both a challenge and an opportunity with implications on sustainability, urbanization, access to health services and youth empowerment.

    About 16 million girls under age 18 give birth each year. Another 3.2million undergo unsafe abortions. The vast majority – 90 per cent — of the pregnant adolescents in the developing world are married. But for far too many of these girls, pregnancy has little to do with informed choice. Often it is a consequence of discrimination, rights violations (including child marriage), inadequate education or sexual coercion.

  • 2014 CHAN: Eagles replace Okpotu

    2014 CHAN: Eagles replace Okpotu

    The Super Eagles technical crew has replaced Tony Okpotu with Haruna Babalo of El Kanemi after the Lobi Stars striker secured a deal with a Libyan club, MTNFootball.com reports.

    Okpotu is no longer eligible to feature in this weekend’s Championship of African Nations (CHAN) qualifier against Cote d’Ivoire in Kaduna because he now plays overseas and this competition is for players who feature in their respective domestic leagues.

    Meanwhile, Rangers goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim was the first to arrive the Bolton White Apartment camp of the Super Eagles in Abuja Sunday evening ahead of the CHAN qualifier.

    Other players who have reported are Godfrey Oboabona, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Chibuzor Okonkwo, Solomon Kwambe, Dele Olorundare, Benjamon Francis, Gomo Onduku and Warri Wolves hot shot Etebor Oghenekaro.

    The team will train twice daily, commencing Monday morning at the training pitch of the Abuja National Stadium.

    Agbim said it was good to be back in camp, promising that the players will give their all in the qualifier scheduled for the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna this weekend.

    “It’s nice to be back and I’m sure we are ready for the task of qualifying Nigeria for the first time for the tournamen

     

  • Truck collides with Kano-Lagos passenger train in Kaduna

    The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has confirmed that its Kano–Lagos inter-city passenger train was involved in an accident with a truck that was illegally obstructing the rail track.

    A statement by the NRC’s Assistant Director Public Relations, Mr. David Ndakotsu, said the accident occurred at 3pm on Monday, between Barkin Kasua and Kakau section of the track in Kaduna State.

    The train was returning to Lagos when the accident occurred.

    Few passengers were reported to have been injured and have been taken to the hospital for treatment. No death was reported at the time of filing this report.

    The corporation has sent a high-powered team of its Engineering, Operations and Safety officials to the site of the accident.

    Another accident involving a passenger train shuttling between Iddo and Agbado Station and a truck was recorded on Saturday evening in Lagos.

    The accident occurred near the level-crossing at PWD Bus Stop, Ikeja.

  • Kaduna power plant land owners protest

    Owners of the land on which the 215 megawatts power station in the Kudenda area of Kaduna State is being constructed have staged a protest over government’s failure to offer them alternative lands for resettlement.

    The land owners told the Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, government has failed to resettle them four years after they willingly gave their lands for the power plant.

    Spokesman of the owners, Francis Nwobodo said: “When he was governor, the Vice President came here and told us that the government was interested in this land and that the power plant they will build will benefit all of us.

    “He promised to give us another land and based on that, we willingly gave away our land.

    “Four years after, we have not heard anything. The late governor Yakowa came here and promised that they will do something. Some of us have died and yet we are yet to be given another land”.

    Nebo commended the land owners for the peaceful nature of their protest.

    He assured the government was willing to fulfill its promise of giving them another land, pointing out that something must have happened to slow down the process.

    Nebo explained: “I will talk with the governor on this matter when we meet.

    “I want to assure you that I will talk with him. The power project that is being constructed here will give you more power than what you are currently enjoying”.

    The power project was initially instituted by the Kaduna State government and was supposed to inject 10 megawatts of electricity into the national grid but later taken over by the Federal Government.

     

  • Heavy security build-up in Kaduna

    There was heavy security build up in Kaduna metropolis on Saturday  following the discovery on Friday of an object suspected to be an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).
    The security build up caused serious traffic hold up around the metropolis.
    The IED concealed in a new laptop bag was discovered at the junction area of the metropolis and was diffused by men of the anti-bomb squad of the state police command.
    Motorists plying the Nnamdi azikiwe Western Bypass were subjected to heavy security check which created a long traffic jam. All vehicles were thoroughly searched just as battle -ready -soldiers ordered motorcyclists to disembark and roll their bikes.
    They also ordered motorists to open their boot and bonnets. A motorist who attempted to shunt the unending queue was made to serve punishment for his misconducts. Motorists groan in pains as they waited patiently for them to be searched.
    At the Ungwan-Sarki , Rabah, Kawo  and Rigachikun areas of the state,  the story was the same. A security source told our correspondent that they had to beef up security  as result of the Friday attempted bombing of the state by  unknown persons.